Cement block making machine



April 14, 1954 w. G- BENJEY ETAL 3,128,523

I CEMENT BLOCK MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1962 INVENTOR. William 6'. Ben/6y & William D. Reynolds ATTORNEY.

April 14, 1964 w. G. BENJEY ETAL 3,128,523

CEMENT BLOCK MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1962 INVENTOR William 6. 5617/2 & William D. Reynolds ATTORNEY.

April 14, 1964' w. G. BENJEY ETAL 3,128,523

CEMENTBLOCK MAKING MACHINE '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 19, 1962 Wz'i/z'am 6. Ben by & W17/1'am D.

INVENTOR Reyna/d5 BY ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Office 3,128,523 Patented Apr. 14, 1964 3,128,523 CEMENT BLOCK MAKING MACHINE William G. Benjey and William D. Reynolds, Alpena, Mich., assignors to Alpena Research & Development Company, Alpena, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 245,780 8 Claims. (Cl. 25-41) This invention relates to a concrete block making machine and more particularly to a machine incorporating several novel features which contribute to the rapid and efficient production of concrete masonry blocks.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a concrete block making machine that will accurately compact, shape and surface finish one or more concrete blocks of uniform size, weight and density and automatically remove the blocks from the machine by a novel arrangement of co-operating parts.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a concrete block making machine that will feed finished concrete blocks from a moldbox portion to platens and convey the same from the concrete block making machine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a concrete block making machine incorporating a novel platen handling mechanism arranged to move a platen into the area beneath the mold box so as to receive the finished blocks, and provide a support that can be handled by the machine in removing the blocks therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a concrete block making machine in which interdependent means is provided for removing the formed blocks from the block forming portion in an automatic sequence of operations.

The concrete block forming machine disclosed herein incorporates several novel devices and functions which are particularly advantageous in the art. The novel devices and functions are such that they may be applied to other forms of material molding such as briqueting. The block making machine is designed so that it may be operated continuously by relatively unskilled labor and it will operate efficiently and rapidly as long as suitable material is supplied to its material hopper and the completed blocks are removed from the block receiving pallets .thereof. There are norparts that require critical adjustment and the construction is such that little lubrication is necessary and the machines components are so arranged so that they will operate in their desired cycle Without manual assistance.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention herein to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the concrete block making machine.

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevation of the concrete block making machine of FIGURE 1. 7

. reception of the completed blocks.

FIGURE 5 is a partial front elevation of the lower front portion of the concrete block machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the lower front portion of the machine as shown in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a Wiring diagram of the electrical circuits controlling the operation of the concrete block making machine.

By referring to the drawings and FIGURE 1 in particular, it will be seen that the concrete block making machine comprises a framework preferably formed of two vertically positioned, horizontally spaced side panels 10 and 11. A transverse frame member 12 is positioned between the panels 10 and 11 in the upper front portion thereof and a secondary frame member 13 is positioned between the panel members 10 and 11 adjacent their lower ends and on the same vertical plane as the frame member 12. The frame members 12 and 13 are apertured inwardly from their ends and resilient bushings 14, 14 are positioned in the apertures in vertically aligned pairs and a pair of support rods 15, 15 are positioned vertically through the resilient bushings 14, 14 and form a resilient sub-frame which is capable of movement relative to the remainder of the machine as will be hereinafter explained.

A plurality of secondary frame members 16 and 17 are positioned transversely of the side panels 10 and 11 and support one of various mechanisms incorporated in the machine.

In the upper rear portion of the machine as best seen in FIGURE 1, the pair of transversely positioned secondary frame members 16 and 17 support spaced longitudinal frame members 18, 18 which carry journals 19, 19 which in turn support a pair of rollers 20, 20 over which a continuous conveyer belt 21 is positioned. Material from which the blocks are formed may be continuously deposited on the conveyer belt 21 and moved, when the conveyer belt 21 is operating, longitudinally thereof and off the forward edge at the right thereof as seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

Means for moving the conveyer belt 21 comprises a motor 22 driving right angular gear box which in turn supports a pulley 24 over which a chain 25 is trained. The chain 25 is also trained over a sprocket on one of the rollers 20, the motor 22 is connected in an electrical circuit and controlled by a mercury switch as hereinafter described.

There are a pair of secondary longitudinal frame members 26, 26 which are spaced horizontally a distance greater than the longitudinal frame members 18, 18 hereto-fore referred to and which are supported intermediate their ends by brackets 27, 27 which in turn are pivotally mounted on another one of the sub frame members 16, 16. Journals 23, 28 on the secondary longitudinal frame members 2-6, 26 support a pair of secondary rollers 29, 29 which in turn have a secondary conveyer weighing belt 34) trained thereover. One of the rollers 29 has a sprocket 31 on one end thereof and one of the brackets 27 has a horizontal extension 32 thereon which carries a motor 33 having an attaching gear box 34. A sprocket 35 on gear box 34 drives a chain 36 which is trained over the sprocket 31. This assembly is pivotally balanced normally horizontally on the sub frame members 16 with the forward end (the right end in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings) of the secondary conveyer weighing belt 30 positioned above a chute 39. FIGURE 2 shows the tilted position of the tiltable conveyer weighing belt assembly. A mercury switch 40 is located on one of the brackets 27 and wired into the electrical circuit controlling and supplying the motor 22 heretofore referred to. Thus, when the concrete block making machine is operating and the lower or secondary conveyer weighing belt 30 is stationary, the upper conveyer feed belt 21 is started and material is fed onto the feed belt 21 and deposited thereby on the weighing belt 30 at a point forward or to the right of the secondary frame 16 on which the weighing belt 31 its support arms 26 and its drive motor 3 3 are pivotally mounted. When a predetermined amount of material, by weight, accumulates on the weighing belt 30' the entire assembly tilts and which action tilts the mercury switch 46 which in turn breaks the circuit to the motor 22 and stops the feed belt 21. Simultaneously, the weighing belt 36 starts to move by reason of the energization of the motor 33 and deposits the predetermined amount of material in the chute 39 from whence it falls directly into a moldbox 41 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings.

By referring now to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the mold box 41 is preferably a rectangular open top and bottom box with several transverse partitions 42, 42 which are secured at their ends to the front and back members 43 and 44 respectively of the mold box 41. The partitions 42 define several cavities arranged to produce several cement blocks simultaneously. As disclosed herein, the cavities are spaced inwardly from the ends of the mold box 41. The partitions 42, 42 comprise dividers between the cavities as well as end plates at their end of the cavities. The partitions 42, 42 are positioned with their ends engaged in slots in the front and back members 43 and 44. Bolts positioned through the front and back members 43 and 44 respectively engage the ends of said partitions so that they can be disengaged and removed and replaced. Mold blocks 43A and 43B are also located in cavities for desirably shaping the ends of the concrete blocks being formed.

The moldbox is provided at its opposite ends with brackets 45, 45 which are apertured vertically and through which the support rods 15, are positioned as best seen in FIGURES 3, 4 and 1 of the drawings. It will thus be seen that the mold box is capable of being moved vertically on the vertical support rods 15, 15. Both horizontal and vertical motion are imparted to the mold box 41 during the operation of the cement block making machine. Two pairs of eccentric mechanisms 46, 46 and 47, 47 as best seen in FIGURES 3, 2 and 4 of the drawings are secured to the side panels 11 and 11 in vertically and horizontally spaced relation to one another. Stub shafts 48, 48 extend outwardly from each of the brackets 45, 45 on the ends of the mold box 41, 41 and are engaged by fittings 45, 49 and 50, 50 which in turn are connected by rods 51, 51 and rods 52, 52 with the pairs of eccentric mechanisms 46, 46 and 47, 47 respectively. Means to drive the eccentric mechanisms 46, 46 and 47, 47 comprises a vibrator motor 53 mounted on a transverse support member 16. A chain 54 is trained over a sheave 55 on the vibrator 53 and over appropriate sheaves on one of each of the eccentric mechanisms 46, 47. Shafts 56 and 57 interconnect the pairs of eccentric mechanisms 47, 47 and 46, 46 respectively so that both pairs of eccentric mechanisms can operate and impart vibratory action to the mold box 41.

Above the mold box 41 there is a packer head which includes a transverse packer head frame 58 as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings and by referring thereto, it will be observed that the packer head frame 58 has brackets 59, 59 on its opposite ends which are apertured vertically and engaged on the vertical shafts 15, 15 above the mold box 61. In FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the packer head frame 58 is shown in elevated position relative to the mold box 41 and in FIGURE 2 it is shown in lowered position engaged within the upper portion of the mold box 41. w

By referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the packer head frame 58 includes a plurality of apertured depending packer head members 60, 60 which are spaced transversely with respect to one another and thereby capable of engaging the cavities in the mold box 41 heretofore described when the packer head frame 58 is moved downwardly. In order that vertical motion may be imparted to the packer head frame 56, a pair of arms 61, 61 are pivoted intermediate their ends to the brackets 59, 59 on the ends of the packer head frame 58 and at their outermost ends they are pivoted to the ends of secondary arms 62, 62 which in turn are pivoted at their other ends to support pieces 63, 63 which are secured to the vertical rods 15, 15. The arms 61, 61 and secondary arms 62, 62 are arranged to be moved to over-center position as shown in FIGURE 2, when the packer head members are in lowermost position and engaged in the mold box 41. Extensions of pivot members 62A, 62A limit the over-center position by engaging the vertical support rods 15, 15 as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

A shaft 64 interconnects the support pieces 63, 63 and forms the pivotal mounting for the arms 62, 62. The opposite ends of the arms 61, 61 are bifurcated and are adapted to engage actuating pins 65, 65 on a pair of actuating chains 66, 66 which extend vertically in the cement block making machine adjacent the inner sides of the panels 10 and 11 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings. The actuating chains 66, 66 are positioned over the vertically spaced sprockets 6'7, 67 which are secured to the panels 16 and 11 respectively. The actuating pins 65, 65 secured to the chains 66, 66 therefore move vertically during the operation of the machine and impart motion to the packer head members 60, 60 just described so as to cause them to move from the position shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings to the position shown in FIGURE 2 where the packer head assemblies 6t), 61) are engaged in the moldbox 41.

In order that the concrete material introduced into the mold box 41 as heretofore described may be retained therein and compressed and appropriately shaped therein, a core mounting body 68 as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings is provided with vertically apertured brackets 69, 65 on its opposite ends which are slidably engaged on the vertical support rods 15, 15. By referring to FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings it will be seen that cores 7t 71) are arranged in individually spaced pairs and that they are secured directly to the core mounting body 68 by fasteners 71. Surrounding each pair of the cores 7i 7 it there is an apertured stripper plate 72. Each stripper plate 72 is mounted in elevated relation to the upper surface of the core support member 68 and supported in such position by a pair of coil springs (not shown) which are attached to the core support body 68 and the stripper plate 72. When the cores 70 are engaged within the mold box 41 as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, the stripper plates engage the mold box 41 and form false bottoms for the cavities and thereby hold concrete in position in the mold box 41 while the same is vibrated horizontally and vertically by the vibrator mechanisms heretofore referred to. As the packer head members 66, 66 move downwardly into the mold box 41 the concrete material in the mold box 41 is compressed and positioned to fill the mold box completely; if this action takes more than the normal time cycle of the machine, as determined by the movement of the chains 66, 66 the drive chain mechanism, hereinafter described, will cause the drive mechanism to lift on its mountings and open a limit switch to stop the motor of the chain drive mechanism. This limit switch will remain open until the material is completely compressed and the packer head actuating arms 62 and 61 have gone over center and locked. This allows a portion of the chain drive mechanism to move to normal position and reset the limit switch, thus starting the drive motor and moving the machine into the next cycle which strips the cores 70, 70 from the mold box, as just described.

At such time as the concrete blocks are finished, the

core support member 63 moves downward-1y out of the mold box 41 while the coii springs hold the stripper plates 72, 72 upwardly in the mold box. Thus, the cores 70, 70 move downwardly while the stripper plates exert tension against the bottom of the newly formed blocks and support the same while the cores are freed therefrom. As the cycle continues, the stripper plates 72, 72 pull free from the bottom of the newly formed biocks which are left in position in the mold box 41 while the core support member 68 and the cores 70 thereon move downwardly to the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings. While the core stripping action is taking place, a pallet 74- is moved under the mold box 41 to receive the blocks as hereinafter described. The pallet is moved into position beneath the newly formed cement blocks in the core box by a pair of kicker arms 73, 73 that move the pallet 74 from its elevated position in the machine as hereafter described to a block rewiving position beneath the moid box 41. Pallet moving and guide chains 75, '75 have dogs 7 A, 75A attached thereto; the guide chains 75, 75 are trained over sprockets on shafts that extend transversely of the machine between the panel members 10 and 11 and as hereinafter described.

in order that the core support member '68 will be moved downwardly out of the mold box '41 as just described, secondary bifurcated actuating arms 76, 76 are pivoted intermediate their ends to pivot members 77, 77 with their bifurcated ends positioned adjacent the vertical paths of the actuating chains 66, 66 so that they will be engaged by the actuating pins 65, 65 on the chains 66, 66 as the adjacent portions of these chains move downwardly. The bifurcated secondary arms '76, 76 are pivoted at their outer, lower ends by pivots 78, 78 to links 79, 79 which are in turn secured at their opposite ends to a transverse shaft 80 which in turn is journalled in a pair of body members 81, 8.1 and which body members 81, 81 are apertured vertically and engaged on the support rods 15, heretofore referred to and as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings. The body members 81, 81 also support a secondary transverse shaft 82 and the outer ends of the shaft :82 fonm pivots for a third pair of bifurcated arms 83, 83. The bifurcated ends of the third pair of bifurcated arms 83, 83 are positioned adjacent the vertical paths of the actuating chains 66, 66 so that the actuating pins 65, 65 thereon may be engaged thereby as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings. It will thus be seen that the entire cycling operation of the packer head support frame 86 and packer head member 60, the core support member 68, and the cores 7t), 76 thereon is actuated in sequence by the vertical movement of the actuating pins 65, 65 as they move vertically on the actuating chains 66, 66. Thus, initially the pins 65, 65 are at their uppermost positions where they have engaged the bifurcated arms 61, 61 and as heretofore explained moved the packer head frame 5 8 and packer head members 60 away from the mold box. After the concrete material is positioned in the mold box 4 1 as hereinbefore described, the actuating chains 66, 66 reverse their motion and the part of the cycle comprising the actual formation of the cement blocks begins.

The means for driving the actuating chains 66, 66 comprises a main drive motor 84 which is energized by a switch controlling a power circuit and it, in turn, drives a gear reducer 85 by way of a chain 86. A secondary chain 87 connects the gear reducer 85 with a sprocket-88 on the stub shaft 89 supporting this lowermost sprocket 67 over which one of the actuating chains 66 is trained. The drive chain 87 also engages an intermediate sprocket 99 on a transverse drive shaft 91 which conveys the motion to the opposite side of the machine as best shown in FIGURES :1 and 5 so that the second actuating chain 66, adjacent the panel 11, may be driven in synchrony with the actuating chain 66 adjacent the panel 16. The

which in turn is mounted on a tiltable base 93 and a limit switch heretofore referred to its positioned on the base 93 and is therefore actuated by tilting motion which may be imparted thereto as heretofore described in connection with the operation of the packer head frame 58 and the packer head members 64 68. Control switches are positioned along the path of the actuation chains 66 and are actuated by the pins 65, 65 thereon to properly cycle the machine and its operation. It will thus be seen that when the actuating pins have moved the bifurcated arms 61 so as to move the packer head frame 58 and the packer head members 60, 6t downwardly into the top of the mold box 41, the pins 65, 65 engage limit switches which actuate the electric motor 53 which in turn drives the vibratory mechanisms 46 and 47 heretofore referred to first imparting vertical motion to the mold box by way of the rods 52, 5-2 to assist the packer head members 60, 60 in compressing the corucrete material whereupon the packer head members 66, 60 move into lowermost position actuating a control swicth, reversing the electric motor 53 and thereby energizing the eccentrics 46, 46 which impart horizontal oscillation to the mold box 41 by way of the rods 51, 51. As hereinbeiore described, the continued movement of the main drive chains 66, 66 next engage the bifurcated ends of the arms 76, 76 which move the core support body 68 and the core '70 downwardly and out of the mold box 41 leaving the finished compressed concrete blocks therein as hereinbefore described. As the chains 66, 66 continue to move downwardly, the actuating pins 65, 65 thereon engage the bifurcated ends of the arms 83, 83; as the links, 79, 79 rotate their pivot shaft 80, they cause a crank 86A on the shaft to move to engage a bifurcated actuating lever 94 which is pivoted on a transverse shaft 94A between a forward extending pair of secondary panels 95 and '96 as best seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawings so that pallet receiving arms 97 and 98 pivoted to the shaft 94A are extended upwardly to locate arms 98A, 98A in a position to receive the pallet 74 and the blocks and move them downwardly where the pallet 74 is disposed on conveyor belts 99, 99 trained over pulleys 106, 166 and conveyed forwardly and away from the machine. As this action begins the body members 81, 81 are moved downward-1y by the actuating pins 65, 65, and engage the bifurcated arms 83, 33 and cause the downward movement of the body members 81, 81 and the support rods 65, =15 which in turn move the packer head frame 58 and packer head members 60, 60 into the mold box '41 to force the finished blocks out of the same and onto the pallet 74. After this action has occurred, the actuating pins 65, 65 continue to move downwardly until they reach a limit switch which stops the drive motor 84 and the machine has then completed a cycle. In connection with the removal of the blocks from the mold box 41 onto the paliet 74, it will be observed that a pair of vertical rods 1161, .161 supported on sideward extensions 162, 162 of the members 81, 81 have been in upward position as best seen in FIGURE 5 of the drawings where their upper ends are positioned to engage and support the edges of the pallet 74 as it is moved into position beneath the mold box 4 1 by the dogs 75A, 75A on the chains 75, 7'5 and that when the members 81, 81 move downwardly as hereinbefore described, the rods or arms 161, 161 also moves downwardly with the pallet 74 and carry the completed concrete blocks and bring the same into the position shown in FIGURE 6 where the arms 98A, 98A engage the pallet 74 and move it downwardly and forwardly to the conveyor belts 99, 99 hereinbefore described. in setting the machine for a subsequent cycle, the motor 84 is reversed causing the actuating chains 66, 66 to reverse their motion whereupon the actuating pins 65, 65 will move upwardly first actuating the arms 83, 8 3 and moving the members 81, 81 and the support rods 15 vertically to reposition the core mounting body 68 beneath the mold box 41 and to elevate the packer head framel58 and the packer head members 69, 60 relative to the mold box 41 so that additional concrete or other material may be introduced into the mold box and the cycle repeated. In connection with the elevation of the members 81, 8 1 and the support rods 15, 15, it will be seen that the lower ends of the bifurcated arms 83, 83 are pivoted as at 111 3 to a body member or link 104 which in turn is pivoted on a transverse shaft 135 extending between forward extensions cf the panels 113 and 11 as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings. The desirable vertical motion of the body members 8 1, 81 is thus assured by the movable positioning of the pivots 103 as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The preceding description includes reference to the pallet 7 4 and its positioning beneath the mold box 41 when the core support body 68 moves downwardly away therefrom. In order that the pallet 74- can be so positioned to receive the newly formed blocks as hereinbefore described, it is moved from the extreme lower front portion of the machine as best seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawings downwardly between horizontally spaced pairs of supporting rollers 106, 106 and which permit it to roll downwardly on an incline into a position above the transverse shaft 9 1 where it is deposited in a pallet carriage 107 which is shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings in elevated position with broken lines thereon show ing the positioning of the pallet 74 prior to its positioning below the mold box 41. The pallet carriage 107 is suspended between a pair of pallet carriage actuating chains 108, 108 which are trained over sprockets 1199, 111 9 on the shaft 91 adjacent the lower portion of the machine and over sprockets 110, 1 10 on a shaft 111 in a location inwardly from the mold box 41 and below the feed belt 3%. The shaft 1 1-1 serves as a support for the kicker arms 73, 73 which are secured thereto and also serves as a support for a kicker arm actuating lever 112 and which, as seen in FIGURES 3, 2, 4, and 5 of the drawings, is arranged to be engaged by the actuating pin 65 on one of the main actuating chains 66- and moved into retracted position where it engages plunger 1 1 3 and compresses a spring 11 i normally urging the plunger in the opposite direction. It will thus be seen that when a pallet 7 4 has been fed into the machine from the lower front portion thereof on the pallet support rollers 1116, 106 it will move downwardly and rearwardiy and into the pallet carriage 107 when the same is in lowermost position. During the operation of the machine, the pallet carriage 107 moves upwardly to the position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 2 of the drawings whereupon the subsequent actuation of the machine trips a pallet basket release 115 and permits the shaft 111 to revolve which moves the pallet moving and guide chains 75, 75 which are positioned in the machine on the shafts 1 11 and 116 in an angular relation so that the dogs 75A, 75A engage the rear edge of the pallet 74 and move it progressively as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 respectively, the chains 75, 75 being trained over sprockets 116A, 116A on said shafts. The revolving motion of the shaft 110 permits the spring 114 to swing the kicker arm actuating lever 112 and the kicker arms 73, 73 then engage the pallet and move the same from the dogs on the chains 75, 75 into position immediately beneath the mold box 41. It will be observed that the drive chain 87 trained over the sprocket 90 on the shaft 91 imparts simultaneous motion to the pallet carsniage actuating chains 1G8, 168 and to the pallet moving and guide chains 75, 75 so that the entire machine completes its cycle of operation automatically. The lower back portion :of the mold box 101 is provided with roller guides 117 which guide the forward edge of the pallet 74 in under the mold box 41. A slip clutch the drive line permits the timed operation of the pallet moving and guide chains 75, 75 as the same are driven from the same motion source.

It will occur to those skilled in the art that the several electric motors heretofore refelred to and the several limit switches and reversing switches necessary in the operation of the concrete block machine require suitable electrical circuits for their interdependent operation and by referring to FIGURE 7 of the drawings, a diagrammatic wiring diagram of the electric circuits of the machine may be seen. In the uppermost part of FIG- URE 7, it will be observed that the feed conveyor belt motor 22 is a three-phase motor in a three line circuit including circuit breakers 118, three-phase starter contacts 119 and incorporating overload switches 120 so arranged that two of the circuit wires are controlled by a control circuit section including a control transformer 121, fuse 1'22 and manual and automatic selector switches 1-23 and 124 respectively. A limit switch 125 is included in the circuit and the mercury switch 40, the position of which is controlled by the tiltable mounting 27, is positioned adjacent a starter magnetic coil 126 and overload controls 12? to complete the circuit which will be understood by those skilled in the art as necessary for the timed sequence or cycling operation of the feed belt 21. By referring now to the next lower portion of the wiring diagram comprising FIGURE 7, the three-phase motor 3 3 of the weighing belt 313' will be seen together with the three-phase wiring necessary and incorporating overload switches .128, three-phase starter contacts 129' and threephase circuit breakers r130. The control section of the three-phase circuit includes a control transformer 13 1, a control circuit fuse 132 and manual and automatic selector switches 133 and 1 34 respectively. This position of the control circuit includes a remote switch 135, starter magnetic coil 136 and overload contacts 137. The next lower portion of the diagram comprising FIGURE 7 includes the three-phase main drive motor 84, overload switches 13 8, reverse three-phase starter contacts 139, reverse three-stage stalter contacts 140, three phase circuit breakers 114 1, control transformer 142, fuse 14 3, manual and automatic selector switches 144 and 1145, a starter magnetic coil auxiliary contact 146, limit switches 147 and 1%, forward starter and magnetic coil 149, a feed drive overload mercury switch 150, starter coil magnetic interlock .151, a reverse starter magnetic coil 152, a relay coil 153, and its associated relay contacts 154. The next lower or fourth portion of the circuit diagram comprising FIGURE 7 relates to the control of the vibrator motor '53; three-phase circuit wires therefor incorporate overload switches 155, forward three-phase starter contacts 156, reverse three-phase starter contacts 157, three-phase circuit breaker 158, control transformer 159 and fuse 160, manual and automatic selector switches 161 and 162, an interlock contact from the chain drive relay 163, starter magnetic coil contacts .164 and 165, a forward starter magnetic coil 166, relay coil 167, starter coil magnetic interlocks 168 and overload contacts 169.

t will thus be seen that a concrete block making machine has been disclosed which incorporates several completely novel structures and devices in a complete machine which are interconnected and interrelated so that the various devices co-operate in an appropriate time cycle for the eflicient operation of the machine as hereinbefore described. The principal point of novelty in the present disclosure is the portion or portions of the concrete block making machine which receive the concrete bloclcs and operate to remove the finished compressed blocks therefrom for delivery from the machine and having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A machine for making concrete blocks comprising a vertical frame, cross members in said frame and a pair of vertically positioned rods resiliently and movably mounted in said cross members, a mold box positioned between said rods and supported on said frame, a core assembly and a support base therefor movably mounted on said vertical rods beneath said mold box for movement vertically into and out of said mold box, and a packer head movably mounted on said vertical rods above said mold box and movable vertically into and out of said mold box, and means for introducing a pallet into an area beneath said mold box to receive cement blocks thereon and means for imparting downward motion to one of said cross members and to said vertically positioned rods therein to move said rods and said packer head relative to said mold box to move concrete blocks downwardly therefrom, receiving means for receiving said pallets having said cement blocks thereon, said receiving means including a forward extension of said frame, oppositely disposed pairs of hinged arms movably positioned in said forward eXtension of said frame and operating means attached to and actuated by said core assembly and support base therefor for moving said pairs of hinged arms, said receiving means including conveyer means in said forward extension of said frame, said operating means arranged to move said arms from a pallet receiving position above said conveyer means to a position below said conveyer means so as to transfer said pallets carrying said cement blocks to said conveyer means.

2. A machine for making concrete blocks comprising a vertical frame, cross members in said frame and a pair of vertically positioned rods resiliently and movably mounted in said cross members, a mold box positioned between said rods and attached thereto, a core assembly and a support base therefor movably mounted on said vertical rods beneath said mold box for movement vertically into and out of said mold box, and a packer head movably mounted on said vertical rods above said mold box and movable vertically into and out of said mold box, and means for introducing a pallet into an area beneath said mold box to receive cement blocks thereon and means for imparting downward motion to one of said cross members and to said vertically positioned rods therein to move said rods and said packer head relative to said mold box to move concrete blocks downwardly therefrom, means for receiving said pallets having said cement blocks thereon, said means including a forward extension of said frame, oppositely disposed pairs of hinged arms movably positioned in said forward extension of said frame and means attached to and actuated by said core assembly and support base therefor for moving said pairs of hinged arms, bifurcated arms pivotally mounted on said vertical rods below said mold box, a shaft linked to said bifurcated arms and rotatable thereby, a crank on said shaft and means for imparting movement to said oppo sitely disposed pairs of hinged arms positioned for actuation by said crank, conveyer means in said forward extension of said frame, said hinged arms arranged to move from a pallet receiving position above said conveyer means to a pallet delivering position below said conveyer means so as to transfer said pallets carrying said cement blocks to said conveyer means.

3. A machine for making concrete blocks comprising a vertical frame, cross members in said frame and a pair of vertically positioned rods resiliently and movably mounted in said cross members, a mold box positioned between said rods and attached thereto, a core assembly and a support base therefor movably mounted on said vertical rods beneath said mold box for movement vertically into and out of said mold box, and a packer head movably mounted on said vertical rods above said mold box and movable vertically into and out of said mold box, and means for introducing a pallet into an area beneath said mold box to receive cement blocks thereon and means for imparting downward motion to one of said cross members and to said vertically positioned rods therein to move said rods and said packer head relative to said mold box to move concrete blocks downwardly therefrom, means for receiving said pallets having said cement blocks thereon, said means including a forward extension of said frame, oppositely disposed pairs of hinged arms movably positioned in said forward extension of said frame and means attached to and actuated by said core assembly and support base therefor for moving said pairs of hinged arms, bifurcated arms pivotally mounted on said vertical rods below said mold box, a shaft linked to said bifurcated arms and rotatable thereby,

a crank on said shaft and means for imparting movement to said oppositely disposed pairs of hinged arms positioned for actuation by said crank, a second pair of bifurcated arms pivoted at their lowermost ends to said forward extension of said frame, a secondary shaft pivotally secured to said bifurcated arms in spaced parallel position relative to said shaft and means on said secondary bifurcated arms for engaging said means for imparting downward motion to said cross members so as to move said shaft and crank into and out of operative position relative to said pairs of hinged arms.

4. A machine for making concrete blocks comprising a vertical frame, cross members in said frame and a pair of vertically positioned rods resiliently and movably mounted in said cross members, a mold box positioned between said rods and attached thereto, a core assembly and a support base therefor movably mounted on said vertical rods beneath said mold box for movement vertically into and out of said mold box, and a packer head movably mounted on said vertical rods above said mold box and movably vertically into and out of said mold box, and means for introducing a pallet into an area beneath said mold box to receive cement blocks thereon and means for imparting downward motion to one of said cross members and to said vertically positioned rods therein to move said rods and said packer head relative to said mold box to move concrete blocks downwardly therefrom, means for receiving said pallets having said cement blocks thereon, said means including a forward extension of said frame, oppositely disposed pairs of hinged arms movably positioned in said forward extension of said frame and means attached to and actuated by said core assembly and support base therefor for moving said pairs of hinged arms, conveyor means in said forward extension of said frame, said hinged arm arranged to move from a pallet receiving position above said conveyor means to a position below said conveyor means so as to transfer said pallets carrying said cement blocks to said conveyor means, said frame including a forward extension having vertically positioned horizontally spaced side plates, a plurality of rollers positioned on the inner surfaces of said plates in oppositely disposed relation and defining trackways for said pallets, oppositely disposed rotatable stub shafts on the inner sides of said plates having conveyer chains trained thereover and defining horizontally extending conveyer means for receiving said pallets and two pairs of hinged folding arms pivotally secured to said side plates, a shaft interconnecting said hinged folding arms and U-shaped member on said shaft extending outwardly therefrom, crank means in said machine adapted to rotate partially from the downward movement of said core assembly and support base therefor and engageable with said U-shaped member for imparting rotary motion to said shaft so as to move said oppositely disposed pairs of hinged folding arms relative to said side plates from a position along said side plates to a position beneath said mold box and arranged to be actuated so as to re ceive said pallets, rollers supporting said horizontal conveyer chains and means for moving the same.

5. The machine for making concrete blocks set forth in claim 1 and wherein a pair of doubly apertured members are movably positioned one on each of said vertically positioned rods at oppositely disposed locations thereon beneath said core assembly and support base, a pair of shafts positioned through said doubly apertured members, means for moving said core assembly and support base therefor relative to said mold box, said means for moving said core assembly and support base including a first pair of bifurcated arms pivoted midway between their ends to said support, base links pivoted to their outermost ends and crank arms on the upper one of said shafts pivoted to said outermost ends of said first pair of bifurcated arms, a crank on said shaft intermediate said crank arms, a secondary pair of bifurcated arms secured to the opposite ends of the other one of said shaft and links pivoted ill to the outermost ends of said second pair of bifurcated arms and to said frame, said first and second pairs of bifurcated arms positioned adjacent said means for imparting downward movement to said cross members and arranged to be actuated thereby, a horizontal conveyer on said frame extending outwardly therefrom and vertically extensible arms pivotally secured to said frame adjacent said horizontal conveyer and arranged to move vertically to carry pallets from beneath said mold box to said conveyer.

6. A machine for making concrete blocks comprising a frame, vertically extending spaced guide members movably mounted on said frame, a mold box extending between said guide members and supported on said frame, packer means movably mounted on said frame above said mold box and movable vertically into and out of said mold box, a core assembly movably mounted on said frame beneath said mold box for movement vertically into and out of said mold box, core assembly operating means connected between said members and core assembly adapted to selectively move said core assembly downwardly out of, away from and upwardly towards said mold box, conveyor means on said frame below said mold box for moving said concrete blocks away from said mold box, means for introducing a pallet beneath said mold box so that the pallet may receive said concrete blocks from said mold box, said last mentioned means comprising a pallet moving means for moving said pallet and the concrete blocks thereon from below said mold box onto said conveyor means, said pallet moving-means including at least one pair of arms pivotally connected to said frame, and connecting means connecting said core assembly operating means to said arms so that when said core assembly operating means moves said core assembly downwardly from said mold box the arms are pivoted upwardly so as to support said pallet beneath said mold box and then pivoted downwardly to move said pallet onto said conveyor means.

7. A machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said pallet moving means includes two pairs of said arms disposed on opposite sides of said conveyor means, a horizontally extending pallet support arm pivotally connected to one pair of ends of each pair of said arms, and the other pair of ends on each pair of arms pivotally connected to said frame on spaced pivot axes.

8. A machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said core assembly operating means includes first and second bell cranks pivoted together at adjacent ends, said first bell crank pivoted at a central portion thereof to said core assembly, said second bell crank pivotally connected at a central portion thereof to one of said guide members, a bifurcated lever connected to one of said arms pivoted to said frame and means on said second bell crank engageable with said bifurcated lever so as to pivot said pairs of arms about their pivot axes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,556,754 Geist June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 58,583 France Sept. 30, 1953 

6. A MACHINE FOR MAKING CONCRETE BLOCKS COMPRISING A FRAME, VERTICALLY EXTENDING SPACED GUIDE MEMBERS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME, A MOLD BOX EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID GUIDE MEMBERS AND SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME, PACKER MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ABOVE SAID MOLD BOX AND MOVABLE VERTICALLY INTO AND OUT OF SAID MOLD BOX, A CORE ASSEMBLY MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME BENEATH SAID MOLD BOX FOR MOVEMENT VERTICALLY INTO AND OUT OF SAID MOLD BOX, CORE ASSEMBLY OPERATING MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS AND CORE ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO SELECTIVELY MOVE SAID CORE ASSEMBLY DOWNWARDLY OUT OF, AWAY FROM AND UPWARDLY TOWARDS SAID MOLD BOX, CONVEYOR MEANS ON SAID FRAME BELOW SAID MOLD BOX FOR MOVING SAID CONCRETE BLOCKS AWAY FROM SAID MOLD BOX, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A PALLET BENEATH SAID MOLD BOX SO THAT THE PALLET MAY RECEIVE SAID CONCRETE BLOCKS FROM SAID MOLD BOX, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A PALLET MOVING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PALLET AND THE CONCRETE BLOCKS THEREON FROM BELOW SAID MOLD BOX ONTO SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, SAID PALLET MOVING MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF ARMS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME, AND CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID CORE ASSEMBLY OPERATING MEANS TO SAID ARMS SO THAT WHEN SAID CORE ASSEMBLY OPERATING MEANS MOVES SAID CORE ASSEMBLY DOWN- 